Academic activities have been halted at Plateau State University (PLASU) in Bokkos. This followed the violent suppression of student demonstrations over the death of Dading James Jordan, a 200-level computer science student, by officers of the Nigerian Army.
FIJ learned that the student, along with a mother and her child, was killed by the Fulani herders who have been terrorising Bokkos Local Government Area for some time.
A source told FIJ that the Fulani herders attacked Chikam, a village close to PLASU, where many of its students also reside, at 11:45 pm on Thursday and killed the student.
Upon learning of what had happened to their fellow student this morning, concerned PLASU students went to Chikam to carry the remains of the student to the university’s premises and protest.
A sophomore at the university told FIJ that the soldiers stationed at the school tried to stop the angry students from protesting but could not do so successfully until they employed the use of force.
“The angry students burned down the military checkpoint when the soldiers tried to stop them from protesting. In turn, they got angry and started shooting. At first, they shot at the sky, but they later aimed at students,” the student said.
He said that students at the scene had to lie down on the bare floor to avoid being hit by a stray bullet. But in the process, the soldiers fatally shot one student and shot another in the leg.
The soldiers took the injured student to a hospital in Bokkos Town after their rage had fizzled out, the student said. Afterwards, the military police arrived at the scene at about 1:30 pm and went in the direction of the Fulani herders who stormed the area this morning.
“When the vice president of the student union government tried to cover what the army was doing, one of them came to her and told her to delete all that she had recorded,” he said.
As a result of the situation, the management of PLASU decided to close the premises for 10 days. In a press statement signed by Yakubu Ayuba, the university’s registrar, on Friday, the university said it had suspended the ongoing examinations and would resume on May 2.
“The management has made available buses to convey students who may be stranded from the university to Barkin Ladi today, Friday,” the statement reads in part.
A student who boarded one of these vehicles confirmed this to FIJ.
When FIJ called Alfred Alabo, Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, for comments, he said he knew why this reporter called and that he should wait for his press release.